2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON A NORMAL ROAD CONDITION AT 45 MPH THE VEHICLE DECELERATED UNTIL IT COMPLETELY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FUEL PUMP BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AT HIS EXPENSE. UPDATED 09/12/06. *JB

ON THIS DATE I WAS DRIVING AT 65 MILES PER HOUR ON THE INTERSTATE. AS A CAR PULLED ON TO THE DRIVING LANE IN FRONT OF ME FROM THE ENTRANCE RAMP, I ACCELERATED AND PULLED LEFT INTO THE PASSING LANE. SUDDENLY I HAD NO POWER, AND MANAGED TO COAST ABOUT 3/4 OF A MILE, THROUGH TRAFFIC, TO THE RIGHT HAND SHOULDER WHERE I COULD GET OFF THE ROAD. IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS FEW MINUTES WHICH FORTUNATELY DID NOT RESULT IN ANY COLLISION. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALER WHERE THE FUEL PUMP WAS FOUND TO HAVE FAILED. IT WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $589.80. THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS 63, 661 MILES. *NM

2003 PASSAT BROKE DOWN BECAUSE OF A BROKEN FUEL PUMP. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED. *KB THE DEALER REFUSED TO COVER THE FAILED PART BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD OVER 50000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL GARAGE FOR REPAIR. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED RAIN WATER POOLS INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN IT RAINS STEADILY THROUGH THE SUNROOF WHILE IT IS CLOSED. THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER SEAT BECOMES WET AND THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF SHOCK FROM WIRING UNDER THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO SUGGESTED CHECKING THE DRAIN TUBE PERIODICALLY TO ENSURE IT WAS NOT CLOGGED. AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY THE DEALER, THE TUBE APPEARED TO BE OPEN FREELY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS EVERY TIME IT RAINS.

MY 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT HAS A SEAT WARMER. ONE MORNING, IT BEGAN TO BURN ON MY LEG; I NOTICED THE LEATHER IN ONE CORNER WAS MELTING. ONE OF THE WIRES FOR THE SEAT HEATER WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND PRESSING AGAINST THE SEAT. I NOTIFIED MY LOCAL DEALER AND VW OF AMERICA. THEY WERE UNWILLING TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS NOT ONLY A DEFECT, BUT ALSO A SAFETY HAZARD. *JB

THIS IS A 2003 PASSAT V6. I HAVE 115,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND THE CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED BY A CERTIFIED VW TECHNICIAN SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. THIS IS MY SECOND PASSAT, THE FIRST WAS A 2001.5 "NEW PASSAT". I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THAT CAR AND LITTLE TO KNOW PROBLEMS WITH MY CURRENT 2003. HOWEVER, AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF, IT ALWAYS SOUNDED AS THOUGH A FAN MOTOR WOULD CONTINUOUSLY RUN FOR WELL OVER 15 MINUTES AFTER THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR APPROX. 6 MONTHS. ON THE DATE OF INCIDENT, I HAD DRIVEN HOME FROM WORK, PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY, AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE. THANKFULLY, THE LAWN WAS LONG, SO I IMMEDIATELY WENT OUT TO CUT THE LAWN AFTER CHANGING MY CLOTHES. JUST IN THAT TIME, MAYBE 5-10 MINUTES THE MOST, I CAME OUT AND NOTICED THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I POPPED THE HOOD AND LOOKED INTO THE ENGINE BAY TO SEE FLAMES ON THE LOWER BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE. IT WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE IF YOU WERE LOOKING INTO THE ENGINE BAY AND TOWARD THE FRONT. IT SMELLED OF BURNING PLASTIC AND METAL. THERE WAS ACTUALLY FLAMES, WHICH I PULLED OUT MYSELF WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND A LAWN HOSE. I DID GET A POLICE REPORT OF THE INCIDENT AND CONTINUED TO SEARCH ONLINE FOR OTHER ISSUES OF THE SAME SORT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM, AND IN SOME EVENTS, THEY EVEN MENTION THE ONGOING FAN SOUND. I FEEL THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO BE LOOKED INTO. I WAS LUCKY, THANKS TO A LONG LAWN, BUT I COULD HAVE LOST MY CAR, AND MY HOME, BECAUSE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE BY LESS THEN TWO FEET. ANY CONSIDERATION TAKEN IN THIS MATTER IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. IT IS UNCLEAR AS TO HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE RESOLVED, WHETHER WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY, OR WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS GOING TO BE A HUGE FINANCIAL LOSS, BECAUSE THERE IS STILL A LIEN ON THE AUTOMOBILE. THANKS, THEODORE HARDGROVE. *NM

VW PASSAT 2003 62,000 MILES WITH OIL PRESSURE "STOP DRIVING" LIGHT AT 70 MPH. CAR STOPPED AND TOWED TO DEALER. TOLD BY DEALER THAT THIS WAS AN ENGINE SLUDGE ISSUE WHICH WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. STILL AWAITING ENGINE ANALYSIS. WAS TOLD ENGINE COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY SEIZED IF I DID NOT STOP DRIVING. *JB

I HAVE A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT AND ABOUT A MONTH AGO MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO MONTESI VOLKSWAGEN DEALER IN HAMDEN, CONNECTICUT. THEY CHARGED ME $85 TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. AND THEN THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE, BUT THE SOFTWARE WHICH CONTROLS THIS LIGHT MUST BE UPDATED AND THAT COSTS ABOUT $235. I TOLD THEM THAT IT IS NOT MY FAULT THAT THE EXISTING SOFTWARE ON THE CAR IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, AND YOU MUST INSTALL THE SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE. BUT THEY DIDN'T ACCEPT IT. I THINK THIS NOT RIGHT, AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE IF THE ORIGINAL SOFTWARE THAT THEY INSTALLED IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *NM

I RECENTLY HAD MY 40K MILE SERVICE DONE AND WAS PREPARING TO GO ON VACATION. THE CAR MADE IT THERE WITHOUT INCIDENT HOWEVER THE SECOND DAY INTO OUT VACATION THE ASR LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE PRND432 ALL STAYED LIT. IT HAD BEEN BEAUTIFUL WEATHER FOR SEVERAL DAYS HOWEVER THERE WAS EASILY TWO INCHES OF WATER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT STOPPED AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTING. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE SHOP WAITING REPAIR. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A RECALL LETTER WAS RECEIVED IN MARCH 2006; THE VEHICLE IS NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK SINCE RECEIVING THE LETTER. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 06V017000 ON THE VEHICLE REGARDING THE FUEL PUMP. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.